Gotta Catch Ya Later: Aftermath
by Neo Namco
Summary: Ash and Misty's regrets about their suppressed romantic feelings reach their peak in the aftermath of their separation following the episode Gotta Catch Ya Later. AAML. Pokeshipping.


**Gotta Catch Ya Later: Aftermath**

_This story takes place during and after the episode __Gotta Catch Ya Later__ with my version of how it should have concluded._

_(Disclaimer: I don't own poke'mon, but if I did this would have been the episode that aired back in 2003)_

Misty stands on a soccer field in a Viridian City park with an accomplished smile on her face after defeating team rocket and the 'invincible poke'mon brothers' with her Politoed. Ash and Brock stood behind her, admiring her final victory in their presence.

"You were great, Misty." Ash compliments her sincerely.

"Thanks. I feel a lot better now." Misty says with her back still turned to the guys. Ash's words were comforting her following her emotional downpour from before.

"It was awesome watching you battle like that." Ash tells her, impressed by her skills as a water poke'mon trainer.

Misty realizes that in Ash's own way, he's telling her what a remarkable person she is, and thus lets his words seep into her heart and encase it with warmth. She closes her eyes and smiles "Thank you, Ash. That's sweet."

"Uh…" Ash's eyes widen. A simple little word like 'sweet' caused an outbreak of confused and exciting thoughts to swirl in his thoughts.

Misty finally turns around to face the boy she accidentally fished out of a river and saved years ago "And thanks for always being a good friend to me."

"Yeah sure" Ash smiles warmly, allowing Misty's beautiful eyes to melt his with their glowing trance. He quickly decides that now would be the best time to tell her. His smile fades and his eyes become dead serious, as he stares into the eyes of the girl he longed to hold.

"Misty…"

"Yeah?" Misty leans in slightly, just a couple feet from him. She sensed a potential climax to conclude the bottled suppressed feelings she hoped he always had for her so she too could do the same.

Ash was frozen as Misty patiently waited for him to speak. 'Tell her!' he thought to himself 'Now is the perfect time. Just do it…ahh just say something. Too much time has passed.' He decides to turn his head away "Your bike's there." He finally says at random.

"Oh." Misty leans back, disappointed. Even her baby togepii safely held in her arms seemed to sense the disappointment of the failed opportunity between its parents.

"You're in a hurry right?" Ash asks, while beating himself up on the inside, knowing he blew the chance.

"Um…yeah." Misty replies sadly, looking over at the bike which became the key to creating her friendship with Ash all those years ago which passed by so quickly. The reality of her departure continued to swing and make contact with her.

* * *

><p>Now the three travelers walked out of Viridian City heading towards their own homes. Misty walked her bike alongside her with Togepii in the basket. Ash walked in between Brock and Misty with Pikachu on his left shoulder.<p>

"So Ash." Misty spoke "Don't forget your morning rituals. Take a bath and brush your teeth." She told him, as she did most mornings.

"I'll remember." Ash says with a hint of amusement in his tone. Misty had become somewhat of a maternal figure to him.

"And make sure Pikachu doesn't eat too much." She adds.

"Pika-chu!" Pikachu exclaims while facing Misty with big smile.

"And now Brock, try not to get _too_ distracted by all the girls." She tells her eldest friend.

"Ha-ha!-mm." Brock immediately thinks to himself that's an impossible thing to avoid.

"One more thing." Misty says seriously.

"That's enough." Ash says, feeling as if Misty is just ranting out of control.

"It's just something that I feel I need to tell you." She says, with all those emotional feelings coming back to her at the realization she'll be parting very soon.

"All right." Ash nods, curious about what she might say.

Misty tries to bring herself to say what she's wanted to say for the longest time, but fear overpowers her "Just keep on…doing your best."

"Uhh, what do you mean?" Ash asks confused, and turning to face his visibly upset friend.

"Well you know…without me there…" Misty tries her hardest to keep the tears inside her from exploding out of her mental dam. "You'll be missing that important emotional support that I've given you during your quest."

"Ohh." Ash can see in her eyes and hear in her voice how emotionally devastated she was. "are you okay, Misty?" he asks highly concerned for her well-being.

"I just never thought this day would come." She admits through her inner tears. "I honestly thought I'd be traveling with you guys for the rest of my life. I enjoyed every second of our adventures."

"I know exactly how you feel, Mist." Ash smiles.

"It feels like just yesterday I pulled you out of that river…and then in an instant you were riding my bike away to get Pikachu to the poke'mon center. You were so worried about him." She says with a tear of happiness as she reminisces.

Ash understood fully for the first time that Misty valued his friendship more than he ever could of imagined. It warmed his heart and eased the pain he felt.

"Togepii…" Misty looks down at her baby "It was a coincidence that you and I met too."

"_Ours_ wasn't coincidence." Ash says as the trio and their poke'mon continue on their way.

"Huh?" Misty was caught off guard by this statement and turns to face him, still walking the path to separation.

"I don't believe it could be just a coincidence that I met _you_ out of all people." He says.

"What do you mean, Ash?" Misty questions him, curious about his stance and fishing for possible last minute compliments from him.

"I guess what I mean is that even though that happened…" Ash looks Misty in the eyes "I think that we were meant to meet and become friends." He explains with a reassuring smile.

"Me too." Brock finally speaks for the first time in quite a while "We've been through so much together on our travels I'd say we're _best_ friends now."

Misty looks at him, taking in his statement that she always thought to be true but never heard any of the guys say it before or mentioned it herself "You mean it, Brock? We're really best friends? Yeahh." She smiles having finally said it out loud.

Ash and Brock look to Misty and nod, as she displays the happiest smile she's shown in a long time…

The three best friends come to a beautiful scene with the sun literally setting on what appears to be the trio's final moments together. Three separate dirt paths spread out in different directions that lead to their home towns.

"Guess I'll be going this way." Misty says, taking a good look at the boy who changed her life forever before she heads home.

"Yeah." Ash says flatly, now feeling the hard hitting gravity of the situation unfold.

Misty gazes at him with a smile like he's the most important person in the world to her "Take care, Ash."

"Mm." Ash nods "You too, Misty."

"Will I…see you again?" she asks, hoping for complete reassurance.

"You will. I swear." Ash replies.

"Holllld everything!" Brock suddenly shouts as loud as he can.

"What's gotten into you, Brock?" Ash asks, confused and startled.

"Actually I also have to go back home right away." He says with a finger in the air.

"Huh?" Ash, Misty, and Pikachu react together.

"I got an email saying I had to go back and take care of some errands and stuff and I almost forgot." He explains.

"How could you forget something like that?" Ash asks.

"Uhh I'm not sure exactly." Brock scratches the back of his head.

"Maybe cause you didn't want to leave." Misty says sternly.

Brock adjusts himself and stands up straight with a suppressing grin "Probably."

"I know, Brock. I understand." Misty says with a sympathetic expression on her face.

"Well…" Brock scratches his head nervously again "I guess this is where we all split up."

"Are you sure you'll be okay without me, Ash?" Misty asks, concerned, and at the same time hoping he'll tell her no and have an excuse to stay by his side.

"I'll be fine." Ash says flatly even though he had the urge to break down and tell her everything.

"See you then." Brock says, turning to walk down his path.

"Buh-bye" Misty follows, sitting on her bike facing down her path home, while her head is turned to Ash.

"So long." Ash says, with a feeling that this is not really happening and he'll wake up soon to see his friends by his side like they have been for years.

"Tog-e-preee!" Togepii exclaims as his mommy rides home.

Ash watches Brock walk down his path, and Misty ride down hers. "Misty, thank you…and Brock…I know that there's no way I could have…ever…"

"Go awn!" Brock's voice suddenly interrupts his train of thought.

"Huh?" Ash looks up to see his best friends back in front of him.

"If you have something to say, Ash then say it." Misty says, giving him a quizzical look.

"Yeah we're all ears." Brock says.

"Ahhh!" Ash jumps back in shock "Why are you creeping up on me like that?"

"Sorry. I forgot to give this to you." Brock holds a small box in his hand.

"Uhh…" Ash stares at the box, confused and curious.

"Something to eat." Brock explains "A lunch box picnic. _With_ matching cutlery." Brock places a spoon and fork on top of the box.

"And this." Misty holds up a pink and yellow handkerchief. "Makes it easier to carry."

"Misty…you guys." Ash watches Misty encase the lunchbox in her handkerchief and tie it up.

She takes the box out of Brock's hand and extends her arms to Ash "Here."

"Uhh…" Ash feels his heart strings being tugged after receiving their gift. He was on the verge of letting his emotions break free and cry in front of his friends "Mm I guess you guys should go now, huh?"

"Okay." Misty smiles "Take care."

"We'll miss you." Brock reminds him, throwing more fuel on to the emotional fire within Ash.

And the three split their own directions once again. Ash walked with the bill of his hat hanging low, covering his tear filled eyes.

Brock walks home with tears of his own welling up "It must be the onion, making my eyes water." He says with a random onion in his hand just in case someone happens to pass him by.

Misty however rode her bike happily along "Well Ash Ketchum…finally, I know how you feel about me."

Ash walked home alone with tears flowing down his cheeks. He held Pikachu close to him in his arms. The yellow rodent poke'mon sensed his despair and rubbed his arm to remind him they still had each other.

"Chuu."

"Pikachu…" Ash comes to a stop. "I should have told her. I should have told her everything. Now it's too late." He tells his only remaining companion.

"Pikachu pi?" Pikachu tilts his head with his ears lowered, representing his visible sympathetic feelings.

"I feel like running as fast and as far away as I can." A tear falls from his face down on to Pikachu's.

"Pika pi. Chu pika Pikachu pi." Pikachu taps the side of Ash's face.

Ash lifts his head up "You think I should go after her?" he asks.

"Pii." Pikachu nods with a smile.

"All right." Ash dries his tears on his sleeve "I will." He says with confidence and determination, and stuffs his gift box into his back pack.

* * *

><p>Misty pedaled her bike a long side a narrow river. After being able to smile again in the aftermath of her emotional goodbye with Ash, she couldn't keep herself from thinking about how long it would be until she'd see him again.<p>

This unbearable thought was enough to weigh her down both mentally and physically. She stopped pedaling and came to an abrupt halt once she treaded into the forest.

"Togii?" Togepii turns around in the basket and looks up at his mother for clarification.

"Let's stop for a break, baby." She gives her poke'mon a reassuring smile and takes it out of the basket and leans her bike against a lonesome Ash tree that grew by the side of the river bank.

She sits up against the tree herself with Togepii in her arms, staring at the calm river. "It hasn't even been an hour and I miss him so much."

She considers calling him with her poke'gear and even takes the device out of her pack. She can't bring herself to actually make the call though. It was too soon. She didn't want to come off desperate and needy to the boy she spent years acting strong and tough in front of. She sighs and places the poke'gear back inside her pack.

"I didn't get to tell him how I really felt. Why I stayed with him for so long and committed to him when other opportunities came my way. I didn't get to tell him why I didn't want to leave." She says quietly to Togepii, who had now fallen into a peaceful slumber, retreated in his shell.

'He's gonna go off and meet new friends.' She thinks 'Some other girl will come alone and claim him. Another girl who isn't afraid to make that move. I guess I should just move on. It's hopeless.'

This was a defining moment for Misty, deciding to move on once and for all and put her feelings about Ash aside. Her chance was gone, and so her dreams would cause her nothing but pain to stay on that endless path.

The cries of flocking poke'mon above her broke her concentration. They were spearrow, flying overhead and over the river which had just enough light to highlight it beneath the setting sun. She examined the scenery and gasped. She didn't even realize where she was until that very moment.

A wild Gyarados pokes its head out of the water for some air and then ducks back in. Misty smiles, coming to realize this was the very same spot she met Ash. Waves of powerful emotions hit her, forcing her to remember the events of that day and how fate brought her this exact spot years ago.

She remembers packing up some belongings into her small red pack in her bedroom in Cerulean City to run away from home and make it on her own as a water poke'mon trainer. She was tired of the way her sisters were treating her and she had something to prove. She was in denial even at this point, but she was stubborn and despite her sister's pleads and apologies, she left to discover her own destiny.

It hadn't turned out like anything she ever expected. It turned out to be better. She never anticipated meeting great friends, and having incredible adventures most only dream of. And she never anticipated falling in love. Especially with someone like Ash. Before he came along her sisters got it in her head that the guy she should be with be very hunky and intelligent with an additional feature of being wealthy.

Though he wasn't a bad looking guy, Ash wasn't exactly those things at all. He didn't need to be. He was perfect the way he was. Sweet, caring, giving, brave, determined, and funny. She had never met anyone like him in a world she thought was greedy and cruel.

Misty couldn't hold it in anymore. Her tears fell from her eyes as the past memories took over. Letting go of Ash was no longer an option. She loved him too much to even consider other wise. He was her best friend and gave her more than her own family ever had. And he unknowingly did it all unintentionally.

'I love you Ash Ketchum.' She says in her head, picturing him walking home alone with Pikachu by his side 'I don't want to go back.' She thinks. She couldn't help but think about how selfish her sisters were being to run away from their responsibility as official gym leaders and leave their youngest sibling in charge who only had experience in one unfinished gym match.

She wanted to turn the tables on them and be selfish. She thinks hard about turning back and going to find Ash to tell him she's staying with him. 'What should I do?' she asks herself.

"Misty?"

"Huh?" Misty whips her head to the side to see Ash standing a few yards away with Pikachu on his shoulder. He held a lantern in his hand to light the dim surrounding.

"Hey." Ash smiles at her.

"Ash? What are you doing here?" Misty asks, stunned.

"I needed to tell you something." He says, kneeling down in front of her.

"I'm listening." Misty looks into his eyes.

"I love you." He reveals.

"I love you too." Misty leans in to kiss him but a loud splash in the water gets her attention "Huh?" she turns her attention to the river.

Misty opens her eyes. But she can hardly see anything with the only source of light coming from the stars and moon above. She sighs, disappointed. It was only a dream. The setting reminds her of a song she once wrote in her diary one night about her hidden feelings for Ash.

She looks up at the moon "No matter where you are, Ash…I'll always love you." She lays down and curls up in a fetal position to keep warm, holding Togepii close to her, and falls asleep.

* * *

><p>"Preee!" Togepii enthusiasticallyshouts, waking it's mother.<p>

Misty groans softly and does not open her eyes. Instead she rolls over on to her other side and tries to go back to sleep.

"Pi pi pi pikachu."

This time Misty opens her eyes "Say what?" she rolls back over to see Togepii and Pikachu playing together…and… "Ash?" she's stunned frozen by the sight of him in his sleeping bag, snoring in his slumber.

A big smile dominates Misty's face, and she also realizes she has an article of clothing on her. It was Ash's vest. A tear strains down her cheek. But this time it's a tear of happiness.

"Ash!" Misty exclaims, abruptly waking the poke'mon trainer.

"Ahh!" Ash sits straight up and turns his head in every which direction in a struck of panic "What? what's going on?"

"Ash relax. It's just me." Misty smiles with a wave.

"Oh. Heh-heh." Ash rubs the back of his head.

"You get scared so easily." Misty laughs, but feels something on her ankle that abruptly ends her laughter. She looks down to see a happy Caterpie trying to crawl up her leg "Ahhhhh!" she screams at the top of her lungs and jumps into Ash's arms, causing him to return the laughter.

"Relax, Misty. It's just a caterpie." Ash tells her.

"You know I don't like bugs!" she yells, and then realizing she's in Ash's arms, forgets about the bug and blushes. "So." She separates herself from Ash, creating space. "what are you doing here, Ash?" she asks curiously.

"Uh, I, got lost and wandered over here." He chuckles nervously following his lie.

"You. Got lot? Typical." Misty winks.

"It isn't like you never got us lost before." Ash says back.

"Your sense of direction is so bad you couldn't find your way in a mirror." Misty blurts, rehashing an old argument from years past.

"You crack mirrors!" Ash yells up close in Misty's face.

The two stare at each other and then break down with laughter. "I'll miss this." Misty says once the laughter fades.

"Me too." Ash smiles at his friend.

"Oh!" Misty picks Ash's vest up off the ground and hands it to him "here's your vest."

Ash shakes his head from side to side and pushes it back towards Misty "You can have it."

"Really?" Misty smiles.

"And this." Ash removes his official poke'mon league hat from his head and places it in Misty's arms on the vest.

"But you love this hat, Ash." Misty reminds him, as if she needs to.

"Yeah I know." Ash smiles, and then looks down at their feet "I just want you to have it okay? Quit being difficult." He says defensively with his arms crossed.

"I have something for you too." Misty walks over to the tree and kneels down to dig into her pack.

"Hmm?" Ash tries to peek over Misty's shoulder, curious as to what she could be looking for.

Misty grasps an object in her hand and extends her arm. Ash opens his hand and allows Misty to place something in it. "For fishing…or whatever." She explains with a sweat drop.

Ash looks at his hand and the custom made Misty lure placed there. "Wow. Thank you, Misty." He puts the lure in his pocket and slowly brings his arms out and around her.

Misty is surprised by this action, but hugs him back in an overdue loving embrace. To think after how long they've been traveling together and all they've been through, they never shared a hug until now. It felt heavenly to both of them. And neither one of them wanted to let go.

"Ash, I want to keep traveling with you. I'm not going back to Cerulean City." Misty says, and rests the side of her head on Ash's shoulder.

Ash's heart beats faster at both the simple contact of her body against his and her surprising statement. "But, Misty. You have to take care of the gym. You have an important job and a big responsibility now."

"I don't care. I just want to be with _you_." She admits. Both of their hearts pound together.

Ash rubs Misty's back with his hand, trying his best to make her feel secure. "Misty…"

"Chu." Pikachu stops chasing Togepii around the Ash tree and gazes at his human friends embracing each other. "Pi pi pi." Pikachu nudges Togepii in its side, causing the egg poke'mon to come to a stop and join Pikachu in gazing at its parents.

"Misty, look at me." Ash says, with his hands slid down to her hips.

"Hmm?" Misty lifts her head off of Ash's shoulder and looks into his chocolate brown eyes that made her heart glow every time.

Ash didn't say anything. Instead he used actions to express himself. He leans in and presses his lips to hers softly. Misty kissed back, starting slow and soft, and growing passionate and heavy. All their feelings were released into a lengthy make out session. When it was over, Ash was the first to speak.

"Misty, I love you. I've loved you for a long time." He finally reveals "But I haven't been able to express myself until now. Now when the unthinkable prospect of you leaving me has come."

"Ash…" Misty couldn't believe he was pouring his heart and soul into telling her everything she always dreamed he felt for her.

"But you can't come with me." Ash tells her "you can't abandon your responsibility as a gym leader. But we'll see each other again. No matter how long it takes I'll come for you. Because you're part of my dream too." He tells her full heartedly.

A strain tear hugs Misty's cheek and she leans back in to kiss Ash for another lengthy powerful passionate love filled kiss.

After saying another extended goodbye to each other, the couple packed up their belongings to continue on their way back to their own home towns. As Ash walks away with Pikachu on his shoulder, Misty calls him.

"Ash!"

"Yeah?" Ash stops and turns around.

Misty sits on her bike "I love you too." She says, forgetting to do so earlier.

Ash smiles, and continues on his way.

Misty gets back on the path to Cerulean with Togepii in the basket of the bike. She rides, wearing Ash's blue vest over her shirt, and the famous league hat on her head and a newfound sense of joy and confidence inside her head.

Ash walks home with the same over joyous feeling in his heart, and the winking Misty lure pinned over it on his shirt…

_The End_

_So…what do you think. I thought this would perfectly show how I would have liked to see that episode actually wrap up, as decent as the episode was it didn't provide enough closure that the series doesn't seem to be interested in giving._

_If you liked this and are in the mood for a little laughter, please check out my fic Poke'Scenes which needs some more support._

_Thanks for reading!_


End file.
